Indonesia, Australia hope to announce economic partnership on Friday

Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison hope to announce on Friday the completion of negotiations on an economic partnership pact between the two countries, a foreign ministry official said.

Director for East Asia and Pacific Edi Yusuf told a briefing ahead of a visit by Morrison to Indonesia this week that negotiations were still continuing on the Indonesia Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

The deal is set to be signed later this year and should include the opening-up of investment in Indonesia's university sector by Australia, he said.